Watch: Turkey ‘coup attempt’ underway – prime minister

The Turkish military has released a statement saying they have taken control of the country in the name of democratic order, although the government said that the coup has been organised by a minority group.

The military gave Turkish state broadcaster TRT a statement which confirmed a coup d’etat and that martial law has been imposed.

The statement said that the military action was in protest against the corruption in Turkey’s government that has infected the country’s democratic and secular rule, and that Turkey would now be ruled by a “peace council”.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was confirmed to be “safe” by government sources who said that he was away on holiday.

He later spoke to CNN Turk via mobile phone, saying that the events were a minority coup and urging Turkish people to gather in squares to protest.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said that the military are acting outside the chain of command and securityforces are working to resolve the situation.
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“The government elected by the people remains in charge. This government will only go when the people say so,” he remarked earlier. He said those responsible for the attempted coup will “pay the highest price”.

YIldirim insisted that the government remained in power, although unnamed military sources said that it had taken over for “democratic order”.